NPD Manager - Food

About the Company

We\’ve partnered with a well-established food business on a key hire to support their continued growth. They’re looking for an NPD Manager to take the reins on driving innovation across short- and long-term product pipelines, with a focus on added value, blue sky thinking, and category-led development.

About the Role

Reporting into the Senior Manager for Insights, NPD & Marketing, this role sits at the heart of a collaborative commercial function, working cross-functionally with category, procurement, technical, and commercial teams. You’ll be responsible for owning customer relationships, spearheading innovation strategy, and delivering commercially viable NPD/EPD solutions that align with retailer needs and business ambitions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of NPD, EPD, and innovation pipelines across customer portfolios
• Partner with the Category team to identify white space opportunities, build strategic plans, and bring consumer-driven products to life
• Own the gate process from concept to launch, managing timelines, stakeholder alignment, and cross-functional sign-off
• Drive internal benchmarking initiatives to monitor product and market performance
• Support commercial decision-making through robust margin analysis and cost-effective innovation
• Run Product Innovation Days, contributing to a culture of creativity, pace, and best-in-class standards

The ideal candidate

• Proven track record in product development within FMCG or fresh/chilled food
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to translate insights into product opportunities
• Creative thinker with strategic execution skills
• Experience working with major UK retailers and understanding of their development processes
• Comfortable managing multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced, hands-on environment
• Strong organisational and communication skills